diff --git a/modules/backend/formwidgets/DatePicker.php b/modules/backend/formwidgets/DatePicker.php
index e1ce658f7..0196f3072 100644
--- a/modules/backend/formwidgets/DatePicker.php
+++ b/modules/backend/formwidgets/DatePicker.php
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <?php namespace Backend\FormWidgets;
 
+use Carbon\Carbon;
 use Backend\Classes\FormWidgetBase;
 
 /**
@@ -46,33 +47,21 @@ class DatePicker extends FormWidgetBase
      */
     public function init()
     {
-        $this->fillDatesFromConfig();
-        $this->fillFromConfig(['mode']);
+        $this->fillFromConfig([
+            'mode',
+            'minDate',
+            'maxDate',
+        ]);
+
         $this->mode = strtolower($this->mode);
-    }
 
-    /**
-     * Transfers minDate and maxDate config values stored inside the
-     * $config property directly on to the root object properties.
-     *
-     * This method checks for Yaml parsed dates that have been converted
-     * into integer timestamps via the Symfony Yaml parser and converts them
-     * back into strings for use with the datepicker.
-     *
-     * @param array $properties
-     * @return void
-     */
-    protected function fillDatesFromConfig()
-    {
-        foreach(['minDate', 'maxDate'] as $property) {
+        $this->minDate = is_integer($this->minDate)
+            ? Carbon::createFromTimestamp($this->minDate)
+            : Carbon::parse($this->minDate);
 
-            $this->{$property} = $this->getConfig($property, $this->{$property});
-
-            if (is_integer($this->{$property})) {
-                $this->{$property} = date('Y-m-d', $this->{$property});
-            }
-
-        }
+        $this->maxDate = is_integer($this->maxDate)
+            ? Carbon::createFromTimestamp($this->maxDate)
+            : Carbon::parse($this->maxDate);
     }
 
     /**